The Unexpected {Link Up}

Before we get to today's topic, I want to share the purpose of this link up series. 

My sweet friend Kalyn created this link-up series to facilitate and encourage the sacredness of marriage, despite the hiccups experienced along the way, despite all the trials this world markets for newlyweds, despite the way our generation views love. 

It is all of our desire to shower our readers, whether married/engaged/dating, with positivity, hopeful encouraging hearts, and loving joy with posts for loving and living life in relationships with our better halves. 

Join us today we talk about the unexpected. 

Ashley @ It Is What You Make It // Kalyn @ Love.Laughter.HappilyEverAfter  // Mallory @ From California to Kansas // Karla @ Forever Newly Wedded // Maggie @ A Weaving of Grace 

Samantha @ Designer in Teal // Veronica @ Passion.Pink.Pearls // Kaitlyn @ Wifessionals // Emily @ Newlywed Moments // Callie @ My Something New With You

Today's Topic What Have You Learned From The Unexpected and  How Have You Grown As A Couple

Personally, I'm not fond of the unexpected. I have said many times that I love to plan. I find joy in writing things, in my planner, and crossing them off as they happen. 

PS:
This is my planner.
I get a new Lilly planner every year and this year I went with a smaller one.
It is the perfect size and fits in my purse perfectly.

JAT has a huge deal with planning. He likes to know what is going on and likes to stick to that. We laugh about how planned out he likes to have everything. Straying away from the original plan is difficult for him. 
                                                                 Needless to say, we aren't very good with the unexpected..
With that said, the unexpected has kicked us down a few times during our first year of marriage. Not even in the big things but in the little every day life moments. When thinking about these moments, I know they have happened, but I can't point out certain ones to talk about even though sometimes they happen everyday. We haven't had a big tragic unexpected thing happen to us since we have been married.
 Here is a list of a few small, I mean small, things that I can remember...
1. Broken TV, 2. Sickness, 3. No heat on the coldest night in Mobile 4. Disappointments, 5. Flat tires, 6. Banged Up Bumpers, 7. Jobs, 8. Let Downs, 9. Broken Toilet, 10. Leaky Sinks
I don't want it to seem like I am complaining. I'm not. These are just some of the moments, that I can remember, that were unexpected. They weren't moments that we wrote down in the planner for that day. They weren't things we were able to talk about before they happened. 
                                                                             They are what they are..unexpected. 


We are learning, from experience, that life doesn't go the way we plan or the way we think it should. When we walk out of the door each morning, with a plan in mind, it may not go our way. It may not go the way I wrote it down or the way JAT thought it would. BUT, at the end of each day, JAT and I get through every unexpected moment. 
These unexpected moments have taught us not to take things so seriously (that is more me than JAT).
Looking back, on the first year of marriage, I can see how much we have grown. These little unexpected moments still knock us down, but maybe not quite as hard. We have learned that no matter how hard we try to plan, these moments are going to happen. We know things will be ok because we have a heavenly Father who cares for us. 
Recently, I ran across this quote. I love it and its daily reminder for me. I, so often, can't even be in the moment God as placed me in -good or bad-. 

God is teaching both of us to just enjoy the moment. Life is full of unexpected things. We don't know when they are coming and we can't plan or prepare for them. 
                                                                         They are unexpected for a reason.